
My journey into Texas has been delayed while I’ve been preparing my travel gear for the trip. I put a lot of my energy into a kayak I’d hoped to bring with me, but when I broke the steering arm that drives the rudder, I had to decide if it was worth it to delay the trip and repair the piece. As much as I was looking forward to having the kayak with me, I could not justify another delay. So I mothballed the boat on Thursday and gathered the gear I felt was essential, and Friday afternoon I hit the road.
My goal when on the road is to avoid freeway travel as much as possible. I always enjoy crossing the county mountains and I chose my route to carry me through Ramona and Santa Ysabel, then north towards Warner Springs. One of my favorite roads in the county is S-2, which follows the desert edges below the coastal mountains. As I was turning onto this road just south of Warner Springs I spotted several large flocks of Blackbirds. I know this area is often a good location to find Tricolored Blackbirds (threatened species) and when I investigated more closely I found them here mixed in with Red-Winged Blackbirds, Brewer’s Blackbirds and Starlings. After capturing some shots of the flocks in flight, I could see them moving north, and I knew of a small cienega up the road a few hundred yards to the north. My suspicions were confirmed and I parked on a wide shoulder and captured images of individual birds.
I left the blackbirds feeling my trip was off to a good start. I continued on the S-2 road and rejoined Highway 78, making a left turn at Scissors Crossing. From here the road wound east through the San Felipe Narrows to the desert floor at Plum Canyon. Seven miles from Scissors Crossing is a county campground called Tamarisk Grove, where Long-Eared Owls sometimes hangout. I needed to stretch my legs anyway so I took a walk through the camp and found an owl. These birds are very photogenic if they come into the open (even a little). But this bird found a perch deep in the dense cover, so I contented myself to binocular views and didn’t bother fetching my camera.
I was now within striking distance of the Salton Sea, so I climbed back in my RV and continued east. When I reached Vendel Road (a favorite Salton Sea stop) the western skies, with the sun falling behind the mountains, was special. There wasn’t time to set up my dSLR, so I used my phone and captured the moment.
My next planned stop is the Gilbert Riparian Preserve near Phoenix. I usually avoid the urban sprawl of the Phoenix area when I tour Arizona, but I’d heard so much about the “Water Ranch”, I feel it’s time to check it out.

Tricolored Blackbird(Agelaius tricolor) |
Description: Fence sitting with a Brewer's Blackbird. While leaving town and headed for Texas, I spotted large flocks of blackbirds. The Tri-Colored Blackbirds caught my attention, but in the flocks were Red-Winged, Brewer's Blackbirds and European Starlings. Near Warner Springs in eastern San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2020:02:21 15:10 |
Location:
CA-79 & S-2 |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/6400 |
File Name: TriColoredBlackBird_D5X9277-WarnerSprings |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Tricolored Blackbird(Agelaius tricolor) |
Description: Shifting between fields to forage. While leaving town and headed for Texas, I spotted large flocks of blackbirds. The Tri-Colored Blackbirds caught my attention, but in the flocks were Red-Winged, Brewer's Blackbirds and European Starlings. Near Warner Springs in eastern San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2020:02:21 15:27 |
Location:
CA-79 & S-2 |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/5000 |
File Name: TriColoredBlackBird_D5X9347-WarnerSprings |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Tricolored Blackbird(Agelaius tricolor) |
Description: Foraging on pasture land. While leaving town and headed for Texas, I spotted large flocks of blackbirds. The Tri-Colored Blackbirds caught my attention, but in the flocks were Red-Winged, Brewer's Blackbirds and European Starlings. Near Warner Springs in eastern San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2020:02:21 15:28 |
Location:
CA-79 & S-2 |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/3200 |
File Name: TriColoredBlackBird_D5X9382-WarnerSprings |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Tricolored Blackbird(Agelaius tricolor) |
Description: Foraging on pasture land. While leaving town and headed for Texas, I spotted large flocks of blackbirds. The Tri-Colored Blackbirds caught my attention, but in the flocks were Red-Winged, Brewer's Blackbirds and European Starlings. Near Warner Springs in eastern San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2020:02:21 15:29 |
Location:
CA-79 & S-2 |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 |
File Name: TriColoredBlackBird_D5X9399-WarnerSprings |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Brewer's Blackbird(Euphagus cyanocephalus) |
Description: While leaving town and headed for Texas, I spotted large flocks of blackbirds. The Tri-Colored Blackbirds caught my attention, but in the flocks were Red-Winged, Brewer's Blackbirds and European Starlings. This bird was foraging through cattle leavings near Warner Springs in eastern San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2020:02:21 15:30 |
Location:
CA-79 & S-2 |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/3200 |
File Name: BrewersBlackBird_D5X9433-WarnerSprings |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Brewer's Blackbird(Euphagus cyanocephalus) |
Description: While leaving town and headed for Texas, I spotted large flocks of blackbirds. The Tri-Colored Blackbirds caught my attention, but in the flocks were Red-Winged, Brewer's Blackbirds and European Starlings. This bird was foraging through cattle leavings near Warner Springs in eastern San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2020:02:21 15:31 |
Location:
CA-79 & S-2 |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/2500 |
File Name: BrewersBlackBird_D5X9458-WarnerSprings |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Brewer's Blackbird(Euphagus cyanocephalus) |
Description: While leaving town and headed for Texas, I spotted large flocks of blackbirds. The Tri-Colored Blackbirds caught my attention, but in the flocks were Red-Winged, Brewer's Blackbirds and European Starlings. This bird was foraging through cattle leavings near Warner Springs in eastern San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2020:02:21 15:32 |
Location:
CA-79 & S-2 |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/2500 |
File Name: BrewersBlackBird_D5X9487-WarnerSprings |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Tricolored Blackbird(Agelaius tricolor) |
Description: Foraging on pasture land. While leaving town and headed for Texas, I spotted large flocks of blackbirds. The Tri-Colored Blackbirds caught my attention, but in the flocks were Red-Winged, Brewer's Blackbirds and European Starlings. Near Warner Springs in eastern San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2020:02:21 15:34 |
Location:
CA-79 & S-2 |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/2500 |
File Name: TriColoredBlackBird_D5X9506-WarnerSprings |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Brewer's Blackbird(Euphagus cyanocephalus) |
Description: While leaving town and headed for Texas, I spotted large flocks of blackbirds. The Tri-Colored Blackbirds caught my attention, but in the flocks were Red-Winged, Brewer's Blackbirds and European Starlings. This bird was foraging through cattle leavings near Warner Springs in eastern San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2020:02:21 15:44 |
Location:
CA-79 & S-2 |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/3200 |
File Name: BrewersBlackBird_D5X9591-WarnerSprings |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Brewer's Blackbird(Euphagus cyanocephalus) |
Description: While leaving town and headed for Texas, I spotted large flocks of blackbirds. The Tri-Colored Blackbirds caught my attention, but in the flocks were Red-Winged, Brewer's Blackbirds and European Starlings. This bird was foraging through cattle leavings near Warner Springs in eastern San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2020:02:21 15:45 |
Location:
CA-79 & S-2 |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/3200 |
File Name: BrewersBlackBird_D5X9600-WarnerSprings |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Brewer's Blackbird(Euphagus cyanocephalus) |
Description: While leaving town and headed for Texas, I spotted large flocks of blackbirds. The Tri-Colored Blackbirds caught my attention, but in the flocks were Red-Winged, Brewer's Blackbirds and European Starlings. This bird was foraging through cattle leavings near Warner Springs in eastern San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2020:02:21 15:45 |
Location:
CA-79 & S-2 |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/3200 |
File Name: BrewersBlackBird_D5X9610-WarnerSprings |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Tricolored Blackbird(Agelaius tricolor) |
Description: High wire act in the company of a starling. While leaving town and headed for Texas, I spotted large flocks of blackbirds. The Tri-Colored Blackbirds caught my attention, but in the flocks were Red-Winged, Brewer's Blackbirds and European Starlings. Near Warner Springs in eastern San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2020:02:21 16:01 |
Location:
CA-79 & S-2 |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/8000 |
File Name: TriColoredBlackBird_D5X9698-WarnerSprings |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Salton Sea Sunset(Scenery) |
Description: My first day on the road to Texas ended with this sunset at Unit #1 of the Salton Sea NWR near Westmoreland California in Imperial County. |
Date Taken: 2020:02:21 17:43 |
Location:
Vendel Road |
Camera Information: moto x4, 3.99 mm, 1/60 |
File Name: SaltonSeaSunset-20200221 |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |

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